The Industrial Revolution–parts one and two. The Digital Revolution. Throughout history there have been periods of growth and innovation that made it a favorable time to be a creative person who wanted to advance technology and bring new products to the market. But as they say, there is no time like the present, and this is especially true when it comes to it being a great time to be a manufacturer.
During the first Industrial Revolution, which ran from about the mid-1700s to the mid-1800s, production went from by hand to by machine thanks to the power of water, iron and steam. Almost every aspect of life changed, as cities grew and the population boomed. Textile production was the dominant industry.
The second Industrial Revolution was a phase of rapid standardization and industrialization from the late 19th century into the early 20th century. Manufacturers drew on electricity and created new materials like steel.
The Digital Revolution–the start of which has been put anywhere between the late 1950s and the late 1970s–came with the shift from mechanical and analog electronic technology to digital electronics. Before long, powerful computers would fit in your pocket and the Internet would open the door to a world of knowledge and human connections.
All of this set the stage for the greatest revolution yet–Industry 4.0. This is the age of the smart factory, cloud computing, robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, additive manufacturing and the Internet of Things. It is a time when increasing complexities and finite resources present new challenges to overcome, but when innovators like you, who meet those challenges, can impact the world in ways we have yet to imagine.
In other words, as you will see in this video, The Time to Be a Manufacturer is Now.
